The Life of David.
So Jesse sent for David. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the LORD said, ‘This is the one; anoint him.’”
– 1 Samuel 16:12
In January, I summarized David’s entire life in this post. Since I had so much to cover, I could only dedicate a few paragraphs to his early years. Today, we’ll look closely at how God used David to set him up for long-term success as Israel’s King.
David
David’s Actions.
Like his great-grandmother Ruth, David starts as a nobody. (God seems to love the humble and unrecognized.) When Samuel the Seer shows up at Jesse’s house, David isn’t invited. Jesse parades his other seven sons before Samuel. But none of them are the men God is looking for.
Samuel is prompted to ask, “Are these all the sons you have (1 Samuel 16:11)?” God’s solutions may not be visible at first. Jesse admits that yes, he has another son. Cue David. He’s the one. Samuel anoints him, and from then on, David is the King of Israel, although Saul goes on to nominally hold that title for many years.
David’s Attitude.
I’ve learned a few lessons from David. What stood out most was his patience. You see, David’s life was a paradox. He had to wait to receive God’s promise and then received God’s promise but had to wait for the results. God gave him the Kingship, yet told him to wait. Maybe you’ve found yourself in one of these two positions. You’ve either been given what you want and now have to steward it for God’s glory, or you’re waiting to receive what you’ve been promised.
David was patient. He didn’t try to override God’s timing. My nature is prone to jump ahead and push for the next step, the next plan, the next thing. I think I ought to get better at waiting for Him to tell me it’s time.
David’s Affliction.
When you contrast Joseph and David, you’ll note how similar their early years were. Both were the youngest, and each received a special blessing. From then on, their stories diverge. Joseph flaunted his dreams and blessings and used his influence to rat out his brothers. David remained loyal to God and trusted Him. When Joseph went to visit his brothers, he was chucked in a cistern and left to die. When David went to visit his brothers, he saw Goliath and decided to take him down.
Vastly different outcomes.
David goes to the battle lines one day: it’s Israel vs. Philistia. The armies are lined up on two hills with a valley in the middle. It’s an even fight, right? Nah. There’s a 9′ man with stupidly heavy bronze armour on the Philistine side. He taunts the name of God, challenging the Israelites to a 1v1 to decide the future of both nations. “I defy the armies of Israel today! Send me a man who will fight me (1 Samuel 17:10).”
David’s Answer.
I’ve shared about standing against evil and injustice in other posts. The catch is, lots of the wicked things happening nowadays take place behind closed doors. There typically isn’t a “Goliath” staring us in the face. While that isn’t an excuse not to act, it should certainly make us more willing to act when we do see evil in person.
David didn’t have a plan, other than honouring God by defeating this Philistine. As he said in 1 Samuel 17:26, “What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his defiance of Israel? Who is this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?”
No battle experience? No problem. No armour? No problem. David’s trust was in his God, not in the plans of man. David knew something at a young age that many only learn after decades. God isn’t asking us to be all-powerful. He’s asking us to trust Him and walk by faith.
This leads me to a camp testimony from one of my fellow Lifeguards and my camp Room Leader.
A Camp Staff testimony…
“Day one of Staff Training was quite overwhelming for me, because I put so much pressure on myself to have all the answers and to figure everything out on my own strength. By the end of the day, I was absolutely exhausted, thinking I needed sleep. When I lay down, I realized that I didn’t need sleep; I needed to trust God instead of trusting in myself. I sensed the LORD saying in that moment, ‘You want to trust me? You have to trust the team that I’ve given you.’ In that moment, I no longer felt physically tired, because I stopped putting all the weight and pressure on myself. The rest of the week, I witnessed my team of lifeguards and many other staff members work together to accomplish all the challenges that would have been impossible if I did them by myself. That was the testimony of the entire summer, where I saw God work through so many people to accomplish wonders. And I am left humbled and thankful in the process!”
David’s Aftermath.
The rest is history. David chooses his stones, walks out to face Goliath, and slays the giant. This passage of Scripture is a reminder to be bold and courageous, but above all, to know who we trust. Joshua and David faced their giants (literally). Neither imagined they could do it by themself.
So, if you’re trying to battle the rough seas of life by your power – as it’s so tempting for us humans to do – please pause. Take time to rest and realign. You can’t win this battle without your Creator. Turn to Him as David did. The enemy will start running.
And this is where we’ll pause his story. If you want to go deeper into David’s life, check out my post Life of a King: David’s Heart for God.
Our Application.
David’s faith in God wasn’t arrogance; at least it doesn’t appear that way. David didn’t walk into the battle with the air of, “I’m going to be King, so God has to help me, otherwise He’s a liar.” That would be taking advantage of God. David’s weapon was trust and humility. He knew he couldn’t do it alone.
I’ll admit I’ve got to get better at being humble. I tend to take pride in my achievements. This isn’t a Biblical trait. I ought to model myself after David and act out of faith. I don’t need to be all-knowing. I’ve just gotta trust the One who is.
Here are today’s reflection questions.
Where in your life are you waiting on God?
Where do you need to steward what God has given you?
We’ve only touched the beginning of David’s life. Please, please check out the books of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and Psalms to learn more about him. God didn’t call him “a man after His own heart” for nothing.
As David said in Psalm 23:6…
“Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.”
I’d love to hear from you!